Season 13. Age 11.
one in the same.

TW: abuse.

☆★☆★→ ←☆★☆★

week one.
Charlotte awakes with a start the following morning, surprised she had even slept at all considering the strange place she had spent the night. of course her back ached and her neck had been bent at an odd angle, but she had slept nevertheless.

it took the young girl a moment to recognize her surroundings, the previous night coming back in a rather slow haze: the persistent doctors who had found her in the park, taken her back to their hospital to tend to her broken wrist and swollen eye and then basically kidnapped her. in the new morning light charlie is shocked she had agreed to any of that, let alone coming home with them. but she remembered how in pain and exhausted she had been the previous night and just chalked it up to pure desperation.

"oh, hey!" charlotte snaps her head toward the direction the voice was coming from, settling on jo brewing coffee in the kitchen. "i hope you slept okay. you can sleep on the couch, you know. it's much better than that old chair."

charlotte swallows nervously. "uh, it's okay." she shifts awkwardly on said 'old chair'.

"yeah, that's a lie." jo accuses without a second thought, immediately regretting it as soon as she spots the bewildered look on the young girls face. charlotte blanches in anticipation of the usual after effects of being caught in a lie, surprised when the surgeon remains where she is. "but it's okay, as long as you're comfortable." jo quickly recovers. she takes a sip of her coffee before setting it on the counter. charlotte nods once, eyes never settling on one spot at a time.

jo eyes the child perched ever so delicately on the seat of the chair, her darting eyes somehow everywhere at once as she constantly scans the room. "it's just me right now." jo informs, sensing the lingering question. "alex is staying with a friend." charlotte again nods once quickly, eyes still shifting around the small apartment. jo grabs her mug from the counter. "uh, i'm headed out, but you can come with if you want. i could introduce you to everyone else, maybe sneak you into a gallery if—" the surgeon notices the nervous look once again sporting charlottes face. "or, maybe another time. you should just rest today, anyways." jo crosses the apartment and grabs her bag from the bed. "help yourself to anything in the kitchen, t.v remote's right there," she points at the coffee table. "i wrote down my number, it's on the counter. text, call, whatever, for anything, okay?"

charllotte pinches her eyebrows together. she hadn't expected the previous nights invite to extend. "you mean...stay?"

"what?" jo is confused at first but quickly recovers. "oh, yeah. of course you can stay. i mean, only if you want to, of course. but we don't want you living on the streets, charlie." she smiles, relived upon noticing the corners of the child's lips slightly lifting as well. "shifts twelve hours, so i should be back around seven tonight, but don't stress if i'm not back. it's normal for surgery to run overtime." jo starts heading toward the door. "oh, and there's money on the counter for you to order yourself pizza or whatever. bye, charlie. have a good day!" and with that the doctor slips out the door.

☆★☆★→ ←☆★☆★

At work, jo is assigned to amelia shepherds service. the resident follows the attending into the scan room after a consult with a woman who named her brain tumor after her ex husband's mistress. "wilson, meet wilma." shepherd points to the patients scans displaying the aggressive tumor. "tomorrow, we beat the crap out of this bitch." she sighs, disappointed by jo's lack of reaction. "come on—show some enthusiasm."

"i'm enthusiastic." wilson shrugs. "it's just that the tumor is a woman named wilma."

"so?"

"and you're excited to kick wilma's ass and beat the crap out of wilma." jo continues with a sigh. "it's cute when it's the name of a tumor, it's just that when it's the name of a woman it's—it's—"

amelia doesn't catch on. "it's what?"

"it's nothing." jo dismisses. "it's nothing."

"the karev thing." shepherd finally puts together. "i'm an idiot. here i am saying all these violent things after what you've been through."

jo's heart drops. for a moment she worries alex had told amelia of her past with paul. "what i've been through?"

"witnessing karev attack deluca." amelia clarifies. "i'm sorry, i'm bringing up bad memories. you must think i am the worst person."

"it's okay." jo shakes it off. "i'm fine."

"are you?"

jo sighs. "i let a runaway foster-kid stay with me last night because she reminded me of myself when i was in the system. but now i don't have any place to live and i can't just let her go back to living on the streets and the entire hospital won't stop whispering about the scarlet letter on my chest." she inhales sharply, catching her breath. "it just feels like i'm trapped in a glass box and everyone's on the outside watching as i run out of air. but, yeah." she chuckles dryly. "i'm great. we're all just so great."

"the knife-wielding eleven year old?" jo nods, a hint of a smile on her otherwise stone face. "alex told me about charlie." amelia sighs heavily. "okay. i'm having a house warming party, and you're coming. you need a break from your life. bring your new scary little friend. alex won't be there." she sinks into a desk chair behind the scans. "i just picked a side, and i'm on yours."

☆★☆★→ ←☆★☆★

When jo returns from work that night she finds charlotte doing the dishes. "charlie, you don't have to do that."

the child looks confused. "oh, it's okay. you're letting me stay, it's the least i can do."

"right. i asked you to stay, which means i don't need anything in return." jo joins charlotte in the kitchen, taking the sponge from the girls hands.

charlotte looks up, suddenly aware she hadn't seen the doctor who had initially found her since the night before. "where's alex?"

jo pauses for a moment, obviously not about to tell the clearly traumatized child that the doctor who had assured her safety with him is currently staying elsewhere considering he put another doctor in the hospital—as a patient in critical condition. "uh... he's working late tonight. actually, you might not see him very often for a little bit. he's staying with some friends." charlie nods, rightfully not entirely believing what she's being told. jo sighs. "so... since it's just you and i, how about you tell me what happened? it could help us protect you if someone comes looking for you."

charlotte scoffs. "she won't."

"you're a missing child, charlie. she might." jo tries. "or if she doesn't, the police will."

"you don't know lynn, jo." wilson doesn't even know who 'lynn' is. charlie hadn't uttered a single word about her life prior to that park bench. "i bet she won't even report me missing." in fact, lynn jacobs was probably welcoming her new child-free life. for the first time in over a decade she wouldn't have to worry about the police or dcfs knocking down her door, sniffing through all her stuff. she could finally do as she pleased—no way would she jeopardize that by filing a police report.

charlotte leans against the kitchen counter, averting her eyes in a way that tells jo she'd like to be done with this conversation, but wilson isn't known as one who backs down. "you know, i bet you and i are more alike than you think."

"really?" charlie arches an eyebrow. "you make, what, upwards of two hundred thousand a year, probably graduated top of your high school class and went off to, what, harvard?" the young girl laughs dryly. "trust me. you and i are not the same. i'll never even finish middle school."

"wanna bet?" charlotte slowly raises her head, giving jo just the confirmation she needed. she heads toward the couch, gesturing for the child to follow.

jo takes a seat on one side of the sofa, not at all surprised when charlotte hesitantly sits on the total opposite end. "alright." jo takes a breath, in slight disbelief that she's about to share her rather traumatic and violent past with an eleven year old. (she has a hunch charlotte is far more mature than most kids her age.) "my birth mother left me at a fire station when i was two weeks old. i was immediately put into the foster system and bounced around homes until i was sixteen when i decided living in my car would be better. after graduating top of my class from high school, princeton, and harvard med school, i met my husband—"

"alex?" charlotte questions.

jo shakes her head. "no, no. this guy was nothing like alex. he was awful... he was abusive. once, he kicked me so hard he broke a few ribs and almost ruptured my kidney. after years of his abuse, i ran away. i came here and changed my name from brooke stadler to josephine wilson so he couldn't find me."

charlotte struggles to swallow past the lump in her throat at the familiar last name and chooses to ignore that awful gut feeling cemented in her stomach. she swallows, squeezing her eyes shut as though willing the memories to disappear.

"so whatever it is i promise you i'll understand, charlie." jo assures the shaking child. "you can tell me. it's okay."

charlotte takes a deep breath. "i-my mom abandoned me, too. she left me on my aunts porch when i was a few days old. she-my aunt was awful. she hurt me all the time, but i could take it 'cause i'd only be with her a few weeks at a time before being sent into the system. i'd always be back with her within the month, though." she pauses, looking warily at jo who nods encouragingly. "lynn—my aunt—met some guy when i was about seven. he moved in and..." charlotte takes a shaky breath. "and then it was both of them hurting me. for years. but her boyfriend, he hurt me more than just hitting. if it was only that i think i would have been able to take it; i was used to that from lynn. but a few months ago he did it again. well, he tried." she snickers. "he didn't get very far." she slides her pocketknife from her waistband and proudly flicks open its blade.

"nice!" jo laughs back, holding a hand out to charlotte for a high five. she's hesitant at first, but eventually claps her hand against the doctors. jo smiles gently. "you can keep going."

"um, so—he ran out after that. my aunt blamed me for him leaving, so she... you know." charlotte lifts her injured wrist and points at her bruised face. "so i left, and i went as far from florida as i could." a three and a half day bus ride on the line that went furthest from orlando: seattle. "that was three months ago. at first i was staying at some abandoned warehouse with a bunch of other runaways, but that got busted and we got separated, and i ended up on that bench."

jo's jaw drops open. "did you say florida? you got from florida to washington all by yourself?

"lots of bus rides." charlotte shrugs. "it was the furthest possible line."

"impressive!"

"gotta do what you gotta do."

☆★☆★→ ←☆★☆★

Charlotte wakes the next morning to the newly-familiar sounds of jo brewing herself a cup of coffee. she yawns, cracking the crick in her neck from sleeping upright in a chair once again. jo glances over, noticing her new roommate awake. "oh, hey. sorry, i didn't mean to wake you."

"oh, it's okay." charlotte waves her off.

"i'm about to head out. i left my number on the fridge again if you need anything." jo grabs her bag from one of the kitchen barstools and hoists it over one shoulder. "i feel bad leaving you alone all day."

"no, it's okay." charlotte smiles. "i dont mind."

jo chooses to ignore the part where charlotte said she doesn't mind being left alone. "hey, why don't you come in with me today? i can introduce you to everybody."

charlotte tries her hardest to keep her facial expression neutral and disguise her utter distaste for the idea. "oh, that's okay."

"just humor me." jo insists. "if you really hate it i'll give you cash for a cab back. oh, wait. you're eleven. can eleven year olds take cabs alone?" jo begins to think out loud. "sorry. i'm really not used to.... any of this." she gestures to charlotte. "i never had siblings except for foster, but those never lasted more than like a month so i don't really count them. and i'm not a peds—"

charlotte holds up a hand, stopping jo's rambling. "jo, i bussed across the country by myself. i think i can handle a taxi." she stands up, grabbing her backpack and unzipping it. "gimme five?"

"yay!" jo claps excitedly at having won the girl over.

☆★☆★→ ←☆★☆★

Charlotte was extremely anxious—and that's saying a lot considering charlotte is someone who's pretty much constantly anxious.

"it'll be fine." jo tries reassuring the girl as they enter grey sloan memorial. "i'm sure alex has mentioned you since amelia knows, so they'll pretty much all know about you anyways."

charlotte has no idea who 'amelia' is. she looks up at the mention of the man who had found her originally. "is alex here? are you guys fighting? is that why he's been staying with friends? if it's because of me, i'll go. i can find someplace. i don't want to be the cause of—"

jo gently lays a hand on the child's arm, not surprised when it's promptly pulled away."charlie, it's not because of you. i promise. he's staying with a friend right now, but it's nothing to worry about. yes, he's working today. do you want me to find him?"

while charlotte appreciated alex's kindness and understanding, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't just a little bit wary of the man. after all, the girl has never met a man who did not hurt her. she wasn't too keen on the idea of being left alone with the male doctor.

jo senses the young girl's hesitation. "charlie, alex is a good guy, i promise." the surgeon tries to believe her own words. "but i won't leave you alone unless you're okay with it. alright?"

charlotte nods. "okay."

☆★☆★→ ←☆★☆★

Charlotte follows jo throughout the hospital until they come across alex karev in the lobby. he smiles upon seeing the girl. "charlie! how are you, kid?"

"uh, good." charlotte smiles warily, sensing slight tension between the man and his partner. a short buzz coming from jo's pocket causes charlotte to jump, which in turn causes the girls cheeks to turn a pale shade of pink as her shoulders jump involuntarily.

"it's okay, charlie. just my pager." jo slides the object out, showing it to the slightly shaken girl. "shit. i'm being paged to the pit. charlie, i know i promised you..."

"it's okay." charlotte smiles. "really, it's fine." no, it's not.

"okay." jo returns her pager to her pocket. "you have my number. call, text, whatever, if you need anything at all." charlotte nods, watching the woman scurry off down the hall.

"alright. well, i've got a consult. wanna come?"
charlotte glances up at alex, nodding. the pair begins walking through the lobby when karev notices two other surgeons. "webber, robbins!" he calls out, jogging slightly to catch up. charlotte scampers awkwardly behind.

doctor karev reaches richard and arizona at the base of the stairs, a timid charlotte following close behind. "hey, she here yet?" karev asks about his consult patient.

"yep. just got here." arizona confirms, beginning to lead the group down the hallway towards the patient.

"karev, did you know about robbins' job search?" webber asks.

"i dont know anything about anyone. nobody tells me crap." alex responds. remembering the child trailing behind him, he gestures toward charlotte. "this is charlie. charlie, this is arizona robbins and richard webber. hey, do you mind if she stays with you while we do this consult?" he asks of webber.

"hi charlie. and no." richard promptly turns on his heels and heads the other way. 

"she that kid you and wilson kidnapped that i keep hearing about?" arizona teases. amelia shepherd isn't the best secret-keeper.

"she can hear you." alex rolls his eyes, jutting a thumb towards charlie. "and we didn't kidnap her. she came willingly."

"eh, unlikely." arizona disagrees. "hey charlie, blink if you need help."

charlotte stares nervously, desperately willing herself not to blink. "oh, jesus, robbins." karev scolds. "you're terrifying the poor kid."

☆★☆★→ ←☆★☆★

"Why do I have to go again?" charlotte groans, sitting in front of jo as the latter finishes curling the child's hair.

"'cause i do, so you do, too." jo shrugs as though this is a perfect explanation. "look, it'll be a great way for you to meet my friends and some of the other surgeons."

"what does it matter?" charlotte sighs heavily. "i'll be gone in a week anyways."

"what?" jo unplugs the curling iron, setting it down on the floor. "what makes you say that?"

"'cause it happens every time." charlotte shrugs. "i start getting comfortable in a new home and then dcs or the police or my aunt or someone comes and takes me away." she glances up at the clock before jo gets a chance to respond. "didn't you say we have to be there at seven?"

"yep." jo sighs, choosing to go along with the child's obvious subject change. she knew that feeling all too well. "we should probably get going. you ready?" charlotte nods, trailing jo from the apartment and out to her car.

once arrived, a woman charlotte hasn't yet met answers the door. "jo, you came!" the brunette greets cheerfully. "and you must be charlie." she smiles warmly and charlotte instinctually shuffles closer to jo.

"this is doctor amelia shepherd." jo introduces. "she's an incredible neurosurgeon."

amelia blushes. "please, come in!" the guests slowly follow her inside, both clearly nervous. she gestures to a man sitting alone on the couch. "that's nathan riggs, owen's ex-brother in law."

they pass a man with bright ginger hair and amelia pauses, introducing him to charlotte. "and this is doctor owen hunt, my husband." doctor hunt smiles, extending a hand to the girl. she shies away, ignoring the gesture. "nice to meet you, charlie." he recovers quickly.

the retreat into the kitchen where amelia serves jo a glass of wine as they huddle awkwardly. the doorbell rings and a woman holding a vase of flowers helps herself inside, heading straight for the kitchen. "sorry, i had an aortic valvuloplasty and i—wilson!" she notices jo, clearly surprised by her appearance. "i mean hi, wilson... and child." she raises an eyebrow at charlotte who hides behind jo.

"sorry, i probably should've warned you." amelia comments on the new guests. she nods to charlotte with a smile. "this is charlie, she's staying with wilson for a bit. charlie, this is my sister doctor maggie pierce."

"nice to meet you, charlie." doctor pierce smiles brightly. she reaches to shake charlottes hand and the child reciprocates. "i'm maggie."

"pierce, when'd you get here?" owen re-enters the kitchen, acting surprised by its new addition. "okay—i'm tagging you in. riggs is right over there." jo takes a sip of her wine and charlotte swipes a slice of pizza. she tunes the adults out; she knew a housewarming party would be boring, but this was next level.

soon, it's only jo and charlotte left in the kitchen. "this is even worse than i thought it'd be." charlie admits with a shrug. she leans back against the counter, sighing heavily. "yeah, i don't know why i came." jo scoffs, sipping her wine gingerly.

a woman charlotte had yet to meet rounds the corner, slightly surprised by their presence. "oh, hey. you're here." the woman nods to the child beside jo. "who's this?"

"this is charlie." jo introduces. "charlie, this is doctor meredith grey."

"it's nice to meet you, charlie. alex has told me about you." meredith nods. charlotte swallows nervously. the older woman dips her voice low, speaking to jo. "he was charged with a felony, i don't know if you know."

charlotte raises her eyebrows. "alex?"

jo shoots meredith a look. "charlie, go wait in the living room, okay?" the child nods, rounding the corner and taking a cautious seat on the couch.

jo returns moments later, grabbing her jacket from its hook. "you ready?"

charlotte shoots to her feet. "thought you'd never ask." they exit the house without saying goodbye.  halfway across the yard jo stops in her tracks.

"hey." charlotte looks up at the familiar voice, spotting alex.

jo seems reluctant to respond. "hey."

"you're, uh." alex clears his throat, stepping closer to the girls. charlotte takes a step back. "i, uh, i didn't know you'd be here. how are you?"

"i don't know how to answer that." jo admits with a sigh. she looks down at charlotte and back to alex. "we're leaving, so you can go in."

"jo, i don't want to go in there. i want to be home with you. i messed that up, and i know that, and i'm sorry."

charlotte is suddenly full of anger. she isn't entirely sure what alex did, but she knew that line all too well. seeking comfort she traces the outline in her waistband. "you can't just say that!"

he looks taken aback. "charlie..."

"it doesn't fix anything! sorry doesn't fix—"

"she's right." jo holds out an arm, stopping the child's outburst. she inhales deeply and looks to alex. "you lash out and you hurt people and then you think you can just walk it back with i'm sorry."

"i'm not walking anything back." alex argues. "i might be going to prison. but you and me—"

"you and me? what you and me?" jo interrupts. "you walked you, you left!"

"and i came back."

"and then you called me trash." jo's voice cracks ever so slightly and charlotte decides she hates alex karev. "and you just—you said it so easily. you were trying to hurt me. it worked." she looks to charlotte. "come on, charlie. let's go."